| Yep, I said it. Sales people are cowards when it | | | | up-selling, value added selling, and the other |
| comes to performing the single most important | | | | buzzwords of the moment. But, they really aren't |
| selling skill - Prospecting. | | | | in any position to use those new skills, since they |
| I have spent the last 28 years working with | | | | have morphed into customer service specialists. |
| salespeople, both in training workshops and, more | | | | So all that training becomes a giant waste of time |
| importantly, in the field making sales calls | | | | and money. |
| one-on-one. | | | | Meanwhile, some newly-minted, competitive |
| It is amazing how gutless sale people get as they | | | | salesperson with a lot of enthusiasm, but not too |
| spend more time in the field. I would think the | | | | much field savvy, is out Prospecting on our |
| opposite would happen, but it isn't so. | | | | experienced sales person's client base. |
| Here is the typical scenario I have found. Perhaps | | | | What happens next is why so many experienced |
| your know someone whose career has taken this | | | | sales people are in trouble. The young person |
| route. When a young salesperson starts out they | | | | starts to sell into the market and steals clients. |
| are full of enthusiasm and a deep-seeded need | | | | Since our experienced sales person has a finite |
| for clients - the perfect combination. They | | | | client base because they haven't been |
| Prospect like crazy, don't know the "art of selling" | | | | Prospecting, every lost client cuts into sales |
| too well, but stumble along and learn by doing. | | | | volume. They start to lose income and become |
| As they get more and more sales skills training, | | | | somewhat desperate. |
| they get further and further away from | | | | The desperation stems from the fact that they |
| Prospecting and get much more comfortable with | | | | have been taught a lot of selling skills, but that is |
| their client base. So they spend a great deal of | | | | not what they needed. Selling skills are the second |
| time servicing their clients and not growing that | | | | thing you must teach a sales professional. |
| base. They reduce their Prospecting calls. They | | | | The first thing is Prospecting, since Prospecting is |
| rationalize that they should focus on existing | | | | the only skill that will put a sales professional in a |
| clients. | | | | position where they can use all their other selling |
| In reality, they just don't want to face the | | | | skills. |
| possibility of what they fear could be a rejection. | | | | Most sales professional have never been taught |
| They lose their guts. (There is a very positive | | | | Prospecting - they have learned it on their own. |
| secret to this aspect of the Prospecting process | | | | That is not necessarily the best idea. It leads to |
| and I will share it at the end of this article.) | | | | great inconsistencies and no organized system. |
| All too quickly they become gun-shy of the whole | | | | The workshops I am doing these days are all |
| Prospecting phenomena since they have gotten | | | | focused on highly-experienced field sales |
| comfortable talking to people they currently | | | | professionals, people with well over 20 years |
| service - and know. | | | | experience in their various industries. |
| Avoiding rejection by avoiding Prospecting is really | | | | So tell your friends in sales to wake up and get |
| dumb. Of course people don't necessarily want to | | | | to work. The answer is simple. Find a complete |
| see a new salesperson. That is not a rejection of | | | | Prospecting system, learn it, and implement it. |
| you personally, that is simply a natural response. | | | | Prospecting should be a continuing and ongoing |
| We all do that - especially when we're interrupted | | | | activity so you never have to worry about a |
| at dinner by a telemarketer! | | | | diminishing client base. Let the other guy worry |
| Our responsibilities as sale professionals, by | | | | about that. |
| definition, include growing our business, which | | | | Look, in commercial and industrial sales rarely is |
| means getting more clients and spreading the risk | | | | your client base static. If you're not expanding |
| of lost volume over a larger base. | | | | your base, are you willing to bet your income that |
| To get hung up over the idea of a rejection by a | | | | your competitors aren't? Have you signed a |
| stranger is not only nuts, it's counterproductive to | | | | "non-aggression" pact with the guys who want |
| your goals of selling, and thus earning more | | | | your customers? Sounds stupid, doesn't it? But |
| money. | | | | that's what a lot of salespeople are betting on. |
| That is why we call it SALES, folks. It is our job | | | | In our current economy everyone is trying to cut |
| to change the attitude of the Prospect. This is | | | | costs. Your well-developed selling skills keep the |
| why we go to all those sales training courses! | | | | heartbeat of your client base pumping, but |
| That takes time and that is why we must | | | | without Prospecting for new customers you are |
| Prospect. | | | | missing out on buyers who are looking to increase |
| To carry this even further, the experienced | | | | value for their purchasing dollar. Prospecting gets |
| salesperson now stops asking for orders and | | | | you in the door. |
| simply hopes that his/her existing client base will, | | | | If you don't have an explosively powerful |
| for some reason begin to make significantly larger | | | | Prospecting System, look at our BLITZ CALL |
| orders, and maybe even throw them a couple | | | | System at Think of it as Prospecting for |
| references along the way. In this economy, that's | | | | Knuckleheads. If you can't build your customer |
| a good bet! As we're seeing in our current | | | | base with the BLITZ CALL, then you don't want |
| presidential campaign - hope sounds great, | | | | a larger customer base. It's that simple. You don't |
| especially when delivered well, but it's not a very | | | | need to consult your physician or turn your head |
| high-payoff course of action. | | | | and cough before you try it. |
| The experienced salesperson keeps getting | | | | Then you will learn the best kept secret in selling - |
| indoctrinated in the latest sales techniques, so | | | | It doesn't take guts to Prospect, it only takes a |
| they are learning about making presentations, | | | | system! |